Cheney's Support Of Gay Marriage: A Seismic Shift

I watched the interview on June 3, 2009 of Former Vice President Dick Cheney along with his daughter, Liz, on On The Record With Greta Van Susteren and I knew what he was going to say before he said it. I knew his positions and criticism of President Obama on foreign policy, water boarding, keeping the country safe etc. etc. Blah, blah, blah I thought.

Then Greta asked two very interesting questions: What do you admire about Obama and where do you stand on gay marriage? To the first he said he thought he ran an impressive campaign. What a relief to hear him say something nice about the President! To the second when pressed by Greta asking "how would you vote on it?" he shocked me with his response. He said he was for equality for everyone and that his daughter, Mary, is in a very commendable relationship with somebody she's known for a long time and he is strongly supportive of that.

I was floored! It's the first time I have seen Dick Cheney as a caring human being. I was seeing a different side of him: a softer, gentler side. It reminded me of the time I came out as a lesbian to my then 85 year old great aunt. We had been close yet I knew she was anti-gay from our conversations. For years I bit my tongue. Finally, one day at the kitchen table I told her I was gay. She was surprised but still loved and accepted me. In fact, we became closer because I was no longer hiding anything from her.

These are both examples of "love conquering all." Personal experience trumps political punditry every time. When I came out of the closet in 1980 in California, a gay friend wore a button that read "We Are Everywhere." That has never been more true than today. We gays are born to conservative and liberal families. We are from all races, ethnic groups, religions, and creeds. We are doctors, nurses, lawyers, politicians, police officers, artists, musicians, actors, athletes, writers, and soldiers as well as hairdressers and fashion designers. And we are not going away nor will we be "straightened out."

The media on the left and the right seem to have given Cheney's revelation little press. My only guess is that the left prefer Cheney to have a "scary" image (as Wanda Sykes expressed in her speech at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in May. Being an out lesbian, I wonder what Ms. Sykes thinks of Mr. Cheney's views on gay marriage. Talk about strange bedfellows!) The right leaning press (Fox News and talk radio) as far as I can tell have pretty much ignored the subject. They may still be in shock or they don't want this to invalidate the former VP's attacks on President Obama.

I believe Mr. Cheney's comments are a seismic shift in the struggle for gay equality. A former Vice President who is emerging as the primary voice in the GOP, a party dependent on the support of right wing Christians, has said he is for gay marriage. It gives me hope. If he can see that being gay is not a sin, maybe others will follow suit.

The day is coming: not just when gay marriage will be accepted by the nation, but a day when being gay will be considered a blessing, not a curse.

Comments

[JDowlin1]

Cheney will never go to gay pride parades that is true, but he said not once but twice in public that he supports equal rights for all, meaning gays to get married. He supports his daughter's gay relationship and his grandchild. On a personal level he is with us. I know it's hard to believe or maybe even want with his neocon views on other political issues but I intend to point out his support to the next right wing Christian who tries to label me an "abominati­on."

[Matt Carter]

Oh, for crying out loud. Cheney doesn't support squat when it comes to gay marriage. Please take his whole position in context before you start getting excited. He supports gay marriage *for the states that want to have gay marriage.* If they don't support it, then he thinks that's fine too. That means exactly nothing from an equality perspective, because unless and until same sex marraige has federal recogition, IT IS NOT AND WILL NEVER BE EQUAL.

Admittedly, Cheney's position is more liberal than the president's, but that's sort of like saying Stalin was more liberal than Mussolini. It's debatable, but in the end, who cares? I think it's safe to say that neither Cheney nor Obama are going to be remembered for being fountains of liberal thought and policy.

[MBryant]

Cheney is the clearest statement of the problem...

People who are suspicious of homosexuals - don't know any homosexuals

I was suspicious of homosexuality, I was working with some people "everyone said was gay" but that doesn't count. "Hidden" orientation only reinforces people's suspicions. And then - I began doing church work that brought me in close volunteer work with some great people - now I'm a sort of activist. I'm helping my friends...

I'm not arguing more sexual identity needs to be brought into the work place - but the process of straight people getting to know gay people socially is very slow..

People don't fear their friends - they fear the unfamiliar - the faceless people on the other side of the world with different clothing and language..­. the faceless people in some other town in the news who have different desires...